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Welcome to our #ScrumptiousSaturday post! Do you find yourself making the same tired, old recipes all the time? Let CatchyFreebies help you out with a delicious recipe that your family and your budget will love. If you have any culinary money-saving tips, we’d love for you to share them with all of us on our Facebook wall or tweet @CatchyFreebies with the hashtag #ScrumptiousSaturday.

It would be hard not to notice that it’s pumpkin season. Yum! Pumpkin flavor everything is everywhere and I feel like I have to get my fill while I can because the season only lasts for so long. But I can’t just indulge every time I want something because most of those treats are full of sugar and extra calories. Which is a pity because pumpkin is actually really good for you. You can read about that here. I think, though, that I figured out a way to make it work for me! This recipe for Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Granola is adapted from Iowa Girl Eats. It’s delicious and easy, but also healthy. And you can make it all year round!

Make this granola- you’ll love it! I wouldn’t have thought of it myself, but chocolate and pumpkin are an amazing combination, and adding the quinoa gives the granola some extra crunch and nutrition. And if you’re looking for gluten-free treats, this is a great option.

GF Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups certified gluten-free old fashioned oats
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees then line a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Combine oats, quinoa, pecans, spices and salt in a large bowl then stir to combine.
In a separate bowl stir together remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips. Pour into dry ingredients then mix very well to coat. Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet then bake until nuts and oats are golden brown, 25-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Granola will crisp as it cools.
Cool granola completely on baking sheet then stir in chocolate chips. Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

Enjoy this granola for breakfast, as a topping for ice cream and yogurt, or just by itself. Do you have some recipes for healthy pumpkin treats? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag.

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